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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)


15 April Iraq Special Weapons News

Operations
Deployments
US Policy
United Nations
Reconstruction Issues
Foreign Reactions
News Reports

Current Operations

  • Transcript: DoD News Briefing - Secretary Rumsfeld and Gen. Myers 15 Apr 2003 -- "Coalition forces now control Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, and only a few Iraqi cities remain contested. Our forces are now going back to the smaller cities and towns they initially bypassed, to deal with any regime forces that may remain. We'll continue these efforts until Saddam Hussein's regime has been removed from every corner of Iraq."
  • TRANSCRIPT OF 4/15 CENTCOM BRIEFING CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- "Today is the 26th day since coalition forces entered Iraq to initiate Operation Iraqi Freedom. And we're moving ahead with our efforts to return Iraq to the Iraqi people. The focus of the coalition's operations in the last 24 hours has been on eliminating the remaining pockets of resistance, locating key regime leaders, and increasing military contributions to humanitarian assistance. Special operations forces have been active in expanding security in the northern Iraq areas of Mosul, Irbil and Kirkuk. And you have seen those pointed out before. Again, just as a reminder, Mosul, Irbil and Kirkuk."
  • Transcript: Media Briefing Australia's contribution to Global Operations Australian Department of Defence 15 Apr 2003 -- "I thought I'd take the opportunity to make a few political comments because we're obviously in the final stages of the conflict as far as it concerns securing areas that have been under regime control. You could say that really it was earlier last week that, from a central command perspective, the regime lost control. "

  • PENTAGON/TERRORIST VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- U-S forces in Iraq have captured fugitive Palestinian terrorist Mohamed "Abu" Abbas, the mastermind of the 1985 hijacking of the cruise ship Achille Lauro.
  • TERRORIST ABU ABBAS CAPTURED CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- On the night of April 14, 2003, Coalition Special Operations Forces, supported by the 3rd Infantry Division, conducted an operation in southern Baghdad to capture the Palestinian terrorist Muhammad Abbas (also known as "Abu Abbas").
  • IRAQ / WRAP (L-UPDATE) VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- U-S officials announce the capture of a major Palestinian terrorist in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. Meanwhile, as the fighting in the country subsides, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says U-S forces have shut down a pipeline used for illegal oil shipments from Iraq to Syria.
  • PENTAGON: ERASING SADDAM VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- With Iraq's regime defeated, its leaders either dead, captured or on the run and the country's major cities taken, U-S led coalition forces are now starting to clean up the lingering vestiges of Saddam Hussein's rule. That includes what Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld calls the "de-Baathification" of Iraq --- the elimination of Saddam's political party.
  • Soldiers helping restore health care in Baghdad Army News 15 Apr 2003 -- As combat wound down and U.S. soldiers began making the streets of Baghdad safe for business again, civil affairs teams went to work assessing the extent of the war's damage and trying to restore health services.
  • U.S. MARINE KILLED CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- A Marine from the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force was shot and killed yesterday evening after being mistaken for an enemy soldier.
  • IRAQ WRAP (L-O UPDATE) VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- The focus in Iraq shifted from the battlefield to the conference table as Iraqi exile groups opened discussions on the future of the country. In the meantime, coalition troops continued their hunt for pockets of resistance and for weapons of mass destruction.
  • IRAQ / CLUSTER BOMBS VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- The U-S military continues to retrieve and destroy Iraqi munitions stockpiled around Baghdad. But ordinance demolition teams are also focusing on removing unexploded American cluster bombs used in the war against Saddam Hussein's forces.
  • PENTAGON/PIPELINE VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says U-S forces have shut down a pipeline used for illegal oil shipments from Iraq to Syria.
  • IRAQ WRAP VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- The focus in Iraq is shifting from the battlefield to the conference table, as Iraqi exile groups open discussions on the future of the country. Meanwhile, U-S military officials are continuing their search for weapons of mass destruction.
  • U.S. MARINES RESTORE SERVICES TO BAGHDAD CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- United States Marines officially established a civil-military operations center (CMOC) here Monday, drafting a road map of success for Iraqi citizens.
  • PENTAGON/MUSEUM VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the United States is concerned about looting at Iraqi museums. But Mr. Rumsfeld dismisses charges the U-S war plan failed to provide adequate protection for the country's antiquities.
  • Coalition Focuses on Pockets of Resistance AFPS 15 Apr 2003 -- The focus of coalition operations in Iraq is on eliminating remaining pockets of resistance, said U.S. Central Command officials during a briefing in Qatar today.
  • U.S. Consolidating Hold On Key Cities RFE/L 15 Apr 2003 -- U.S. forces are consolidating their hold in Iraq today, with troops gaining control in key cities.
  • IRAQ/U-S BRIEFING/W-M-D VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- U-S officials say they are committing significant resources to the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
  • REPORTS OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES AT MOSUL CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- US Central Command has investigated a media report that Coalition forces fired on a crowd of people in Mosul, Iraq. Central Command has no information at this time that indicates this media report is accurate.
  • IRAQ/U-S BRIEFING VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- U-S officials have brought together former Iraqi opposition and resistance groups to discuss plans for the country's future. While the meeting was under way, anti-American demonstrations were held in a number of cities in Iraq. Military leaders are characterizing the protests as a positive development in the post-Saddam Iraq.
  • IRAQ WRAP VOA 15 Apr 2003-- Iraqis from both inside and outside of the country are to meet in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya today (Tuesday) to begin work on their country's political future. The meeting comes as the U-S-led forces begin to shift their focus away from military operations
  • Water Flows from the Desert USMC News 15 Apr 2003 -- In a place where sweat wicks off skin before one can register its presence, the mere mention of the word "water" seems laughable. But for Marines charged with providing purified water to rapidly advancing coalition forces, the mission is no joke.
  • Marines recount POW rescue operation USMC News 15 Apr 2003 -- On a tip from an Iraqi official, Marine with D Company, 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, dashed through sniper fire on the streets of Samarra, Iraq.
  • MCABWA UC-12s king of the CENTCOM airways USMC News 15 Apr 2003 -- When it comes to getting supplies available for front-line troops, first thoughts are often toward C-130s, CH-53s or convoys
  • Ukrainian NBC experts partner with U.S.-led task force USMC News 15 Apr 2003 -- The final elements of an elite Ukrainian nuclear, biological and chemical unit arrived in Kuwait April 5, adding their expertise to a coalition poised to respond to chemical or biological attacks in the region.
  • CFACC provides guidance for coalition air campaign AFPN 15 Apr 2003 -- Before one of the most intense and precise air campaigns in the history of modern warfare began March 19, a video teleconference was held that included President Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfield, U.S. Central Command commander Gen. Tommy Franks and Combined Forces Air Component Commander Lt. Gen. T. Michael "Buzz" Moseley.
  • Airmen stay busy despite end of major hostilities in Iraq AFPN 15 Apr 2003 -- Even though hostilities in Iraq appear to be winding down, airmen who fly combat missions over that war-torn nation say their job is not finished yet.
  • Airlift takes toll on Bashur Airfield AFPN 15 Apr 2003 -- The landing of many heavy cargo aircraft at Bashur Airfield in northern Iraq, has forced the closure of 2,000 feet of runway that cracked under the constant strain.
  • Spangdahlem airmen supporting OIF USAFENS 15 Apr 2003 -- While some people may be looking ahead to the end of war, a group of airmen from Spangdahlem Air Base is still focusing on the job at hand.
  • 5th Fleet Drops in to Say 'Well Done' Navy NewStand 15 Apr 2003 -- Vice Adm. Timothy Keating, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet, returned to USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) last week to thank the carrier and air wing Sailors for their efforts during their extended stay in the Arabian Gulf region.
  • Coalition Forces Conducting Organized Searches for WMD Washington File 15 Apr 2003 -- Coalition forces in Iraq are pressing ahead with organized searches for weapons of mass destruction, while eliminating remaining pockets of armed resistance, hunting down key regime leaders and increasing military contributions to humanitarian assistance, a U.S. Central Command briefing officer says.
  • Phone Center Opens in Camp Sledd, Improves Morale DefendAmerica.mil 15 Apr 2003 -- For Marines at an air base here serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom, keeping in touch with loved ones and friends became a little easier April 13.
  • U.S. MARINE SHOT AND KILLED ARCENT CFLCC 15 Apr 2003
  • U.S. MARINES RESTORE SERVICES TO BAGHDAD ARCENT CFLCC 15 Apr 2003

Deployments

  • Supply Line To USS Tarawa Adds Spice to Deployment Navy NewStand 15 Apr 2003 -- Take 1,200 Sailors on a six-month deployment, stir in 1,400 voracious Marines, add a pinch of super management skills to oversee a supply line that stretches halfway around the world, and you have the ingredients for a well-stocked amphibious assault ship during wartime.
  • Two Carrier Battle Groups Headed Home from Iraq Washington File 15 Apr 2003 -- Air Force General Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says U.S. carrier battle groups and combat aircraft are starting to return home from Iraq and "we have begun transitioning from combat operations to working with local Iraqis to stabilize and secure Iraq's cities and towns."

US Policy

United Nations

  • U.S., UN Remain Out Of Touch On Weapons Inspections RFE/L 15 Apr 2003 -- U.S. officials say they have not yet decided whether United Nations inspectors will be enlisted to verify Iraqi weapons of mass destruction.
  • Annan arrives in Athens for European Conference, high-level talks on Iraq UN News Centre 15 Apr 2003 -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan arrived in Athens today to attend the European Conference and hold high-level talks on the latest developments in Iraq.
  • IRAQ / U-N / RED CROSS VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- Officials of the World Food Program say some areas of Iraq are becoming safer and they hope to be able to start aid deliveries soon. But other United Nations agencies continue to voice concern about conditions in Iraq, particularly in and around Baghdad.
  • TURKEY: WFP launches major humanitarian push IRIN 15 Apr 2003 -- The World Food Programme (WFP) is accelerating its efforts to move urgently needed food aid into northern Iraq through Turkey. At present, the Turkish corridor is the agency's only operating route for food aid into Iraq.

Reconstruction Issues

  • Iraqis Discuss Future Government in 'Big Tent' Meeting AFPS 15 Apr 2003 -- Iraqi representatives and American officials met today in Nasiriyah, Iraq, for the first time to begin the process of forming an interim government for that country.
  • NOTES FROM POOL REPORTERS: MEETING AT AN NASIRIYAH CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- Folo on from earlier file. These are quotes from interviews done outside the conference. Others will be sending along their interviews as well.
  • POOL REPORT: MEETING AT AN NASIRIYAH PART 3 CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- 13 point statement released at the end of the meeting
  • POOL REPORT: MEETING AT AN NASIRIYAH PART 2 CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- "A senior government official told us about the ending of the meeting Garner was trying to bring some closure and also ensure that things start to move quickly. He assured the Iraqis that the coalition was going to reconstruct but that the political development had to go on simultaneiously. "
  • POOL REPORT: MEETING AT AN NASIRIYAH CENTCOM 15 Apr 2003 -- "Your pool met at 3:15 a.m. at the base and loaded a bus about a half an hour later for Al Udeid AFB. According to one of our observant Arabic speakers, our bus was Iranian. As we rolled onto the dark, vast base just south of Doha, we could see the after burners of a jet taking off in the distance. About 4:30 a.m. we pulled up to the DV (distinguished visitors) lounge."

  • IRAQ/OPPOSITION VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- Former members of Iraqi opposition groups, joined by U-S officials, met in southern Iraq in hopes of beginning a process that will lead to the formation of a new, interim, Iraqi government. The meeting ended with a statement saying the future government of Iraq must be democratic and respect the rights of all Iraqis.
  • IRAQ/U-S BRIEFING/NASIRIYAH VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- U-S officials have brought together former Iraqi opposition and resistance groups to discuss plans for the country's future. While the meeting was under way anti-American demonstrations were held in a number of cities in Iraq. Military leaders are characterizing the protests as a positive development in the post-Saddam Iraq.
  • Iraqis Meet at Historic Site to Discuss Country's Future AFPS 15 Apr 2003 -- Up to 100 Iraqi representatives from throughout the country began discussing Iraq's future today, Secretary of State Colin Powell said.
  • With War Nearly Over, Security, Rebuilding Top Concerns RFE/L 15 Apr 2003 -- The war in Iraq is all but over, with the U.S. saying there has been no significant combat in the country today.
  • U.S. Holds Policy Meeting In Southern Iraq Amid Protests, Defections RFE/L 15 Apr 2003 -- Iraq's future is being discussed today in the southern city of Nasiriyah, where up to 100 Iraqi political leaders have been invited to attend a U.S.-sponsored meeting.
  • UN relief agencies report some progress in Iraq but grave health problems persist UN News Centre 15 Apr 2003 -- United Nations relief agencies today reported some incremental progress in Iraq, especially in the far south, but severe and disturbing problems still persisted in many parts of the country where lack of security and clean water were among the most urgent health issues.
  • Talks On Postwar Government Begin As War Winds Down RFE/L 15 Apr 2003 -- Talks are beginning in Iraq today on who should rule the country now that Saddam Hussein's regime has been toppled.
  • BRITAIN/IRAQ VOA 15 Apr 2003-- As Iraqis sit down for talks on post-war governance of their country, a senior British official says efforts are already under way to revive local councils

Foreign Reactions

  • Bush, Chirac Discuss Iraq, Syria, Middle East "Road Map" Washington File 15 Apr 2003 -- President Jacques Chirac of France phoned President Bush April 15 and the two leaders discussed Iraq, Syria, and the "road map" to peace in the Middle East, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said at his daily briefing.
  • BRITAIN/IRAQ/AID VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- Britain's chief of foreign aid says the U-S-led coalition has fallen down on its obligations to provide security and basic services to the people of Iraq.
  • BUSH / CHIRAC VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- President Bush and French President Jacques Chirac spoke Tuesday about rebuilding Iraq amidst growing concern about Syria harboring Iraqi leaders. It is the first time the two men have spoken in more than two months after disagreeing over how best to disarm Saddam Hussein.
  • E-U / SUMMIT PREVIEW VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- Europe's leaders are to gather Wednesday in Athens for a historic two-day summit that will see 10 new states accept provisions for European Union membership. But the gathering could be overshadowed by persistent divisions about the war in Iraq.
  • FRANCE / IRAQ DOUBTS VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- French President Jacques Chirac spoke with President Bush for the first time in more than two months Tuesday. Mr. Chirac called Mr. Bush and in what some observers called an effort to repair Franco-U-S relations strained by the Iraq war, told the U-S leader, France is willing to adopt a "pragmatic approach." France's months-long opposition to the war in Iraq drew almost universal support at home, but with the fighting all but over, doubts are growing in France over the wisdom of defying the United States.
  • BRITAIN / GERMANY VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- The leaders of Britain and Germany have reaffirmed that relations between them remain good despite sharp differences over the Iraq war, and have vowed to work together to rebuild Iraq and deal with other challenges facing Europe.

News Reports

  • EMBEDDED JOURNALISTS VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- The world is getting an unrivaled look at war as it happens with hundreds of reporters and photographers risking their lives alongside coalition forces in Iraq. Many of the close-up images from the frontline are the result of a bold experiment that "embeds" journalists in tanks and helicopters, and on aircraft carriers.
  • MEXICAN DOCTOR VOLUNTEERS IN IRAQ VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- On the road to a POW camp in Iraq near the Kuwait border, VOA's William Chien meets a volunteer doctor from Mexico named Antonio Gonzales.
  • IRAQ POW CAMP VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- Somewhere in the sands of southern Iraq is Camp Bucca (BOO-KAH), the only prisoner-of-war camp under coalition command. Colonel Sidney Ecke is the camp's chief administrator.
  • IRAQ-WOMEN VOA 15 Apr 2003 -- And joining us now to discuss the road ahead in Iraq, Ambassador Joe Wilson, a former U.S. diplomat in Baghdad, and a frequent guest on our program, and Tanya Gilly, with the group Women for a Free Iraq.
  • IRAQ: NGOs begin entry from Kuwait IRIN 15 Apr 2003 -- After weeks of waiting, aid agencies in Kuwait are finally beginning to cross into Iraq to begin humanitarian work. Many NGOs had stayed put in Kuwait as war erupted across the border, followed by instability and looting, preventing their entry. Some NGOs have made initial visits to Iraq from Kuwait, but most have been restricted to the southern port of Umm Qasr. However, while there are still considerable security concerns in southern Iraq, two more NGOs are set to move into the country on Tuesday, with another following the next day.
  • IRAQ: Water convoys set to enter from Iran IRIN 15 Apr 2003 -- The first convoy of water from neighbouring Iran is due to arrive in southern Iraq on Wednesday afternoon.




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